Electrical cable connecting device

ABSTRACT

An electrical cable connecting device comprising a clamp assembly at one end for attaching thereof to a terminal end portion of an associated electrical cable, an electrical connector adapted to be fixed to the terminal end of such end portion, and a bendable convoluted tubular shell fixed between the assembly and the connector which allows the end portion of the cable to be bent in a self-supporting manner into an infinte number of positions to allow easy mating thereof with an associated electrical connector.

United States Patent 1191 Baker June 25, 1974 [5 ELECTRICAL CABLE CONNECTING 3,171,707 3/1965 Powell 174/89 x 3,184,706 5/1965 Atkins 174/89 x DEVICE [75] Inventor: Robert W. Baker, Santa Ana, Calif. OTHER PUBLICATIONS [73] Assignee: Flexible Metal Hose Manufacturing Rex-Flex Stainless Steel Flexible Tubing, Advertise- Company, Costa M (j lifl ment Chicago Metal Hose Corp. i N 2 52 92: 1972 Primary Examiner-A. T. Grimley [57] ABSTRACT {52] C! 174/86 174/68 z g An electrical cable connecting device comprising a [51] I t Cl H02 15/08 clamp assembly at one end for attaching thereof to a 58] d 6 88 terminal end portion of an associated electrical cable, earc 91 l36. 7 an electrical connector adapted to be fixed to the terminal end of such end portion, and a bendable convo- 56] R Ct d luted tubular shell fixed between the assembly and the e erences l e connector which allows the end portion of the cable to UNITED STATES PATENTS be bent in a self-supporting manner into an infinte 2,521,822 9/l950 Boswell 174/91 X number of positions to allow easy mating thereof with Gregoire e1 11] l74/39 X an associated electrical connector. 3:1l6:36l l2/l963 Bentz et al 174/135 x 14 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1E 5*" 1: i o 55 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is common practice in electrical systems to fix electrical connectors to the terminal end portions of electrical cables and quite often it is necessary that such terminal end portions be bent through an angle to allow mating with associated electrical connectors, or the like. I-leretofore, the practice has been to provide a preformed rigid shell, usually made of metal, through which the terminal end portion of an associated cable is extended, whereby it has been necessary to design and prefabricate a particular rigid shell for each end portion of a cable which must be bent through a particular angle for mating purposes. In many applications, the configuration of a particular prefabricated shell will not be correct for precision final assembly whereby rather than redesign such shell, pressure is often exerted thereagainst to force it into alignment thereby resulting in excessive loads being applied against cooperating mounting structure or components.

SUMMARY This invention provides an improved electrical cable connecting device of simple and economical construction comprising a clamp assembly at one end for attaching thereof to a terminal end portion of an associated electrical cable, an electrical connector adapted to be fixed to the terminal end of such end portion, and a bendable convoluted tubular shell fixed between the assembly and the connector which houses the end portion and allows such end portion to be bent into an infinite number of positions to allow easy mating thereof with an associated electrical connector. Once the device is bent, it remains in its bent position with the shell providing the sole means holding such device in position whereby the electrical connector may be easily installed without exerting forces on associated mounting structure.

Other details, uses, and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent from the exemplary embodiments thereof presented in the following specification, claims, and drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The accompanying drawing shows present preferred embodiments of this invention, in which FIG. 1 is a view with parts in cross section and parts broken away illustrating one exemplary embodiment of an electrical cable connecting device connected in position at the terminal end portion of an associated electrical cable;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating another exemplary embodiment of a cable connecting device;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating still another embodiment of an electrical cable connecting device; and

FIG. 4'is a view to a reduced scale illustrating the device of FIG. 1 bent through an exemplary angle of 90.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS Reference is now made to FIG. 1 of the drawing will illustrates one exemplary embodiment of an electrical cable connecting device which is designated generally by the reference numeral and such device is suitably I I fastened in position against the terminal end portion 11 of an insulated electrical cable 12.

The cable connecting device 10 comprises a clamp assembly 13 which is particularly adapted to be attached or fastened against the terminal end portion 11 of the cable 12 and an electrical connnector 14 which may be of any suitable standard construction and connector 14 is suitably fixed to the terminal end of cable end portion 1 l. The device 10 also comprises a flexible or bendable tubular shell fixed between the clamp assembly 13 and the connector 14 and in a manner to be subsequently described in more detail.

The shell 15 is in the form of a convoluted shell having a plurality of integral convolutions l6 andthe shell 15 allows the end portion 11 to be bent into an infinite number of positions to allow easy mating or electrical connection of the electrical connector 14 with an associated electrical connector, not shown. Once the shell 15 and hence device 10 is bent into position the shell provides the sole means for holding end portion 11 in its bent position, whereby the device 10 is selfsupporting in its bent position, i.e., device 10 will remain bent and need not be held in position by external means. For example, the device 10 may be bent through an angle of approximately 90, as shown at 17 in FIG. 4, and once such device is thus bent it will remain in such position indefinitely until it is bent into some other stable configuration which may be a different simple angle in one plane or one or more complex angles in a plurality of planes. This capability of the device 10 allows it to be fastened into position without imposing undue loads or forces on supporting structure which may be used to hold the device 10 and its associated end portion 11 of the cable 12 in position.

The electrical connector 14 has a tubular inner portion 20 which has an inside cylindrical surface 21 and the connector 14 has an outer portion 22 which is provided with suitable fastening means such as threads 23 which are used to fasten connector 14 to an associated connector. Similarly, the clamp assembly 13 comprises a fitting 24 having a tubular portion 25 provided with an inside cylindrical surface 26 and an externally threaded portion 27. The shell 15 has an inner portion 30 which is received concentrically within cylindrical surface 26 of the tubular portion 25 comprising fitting 24 and shell 15 has an outer portion 31 which is received concentrically within cylindrical surface 21 of the tubular portion 20 comprising connector 14.

Means 32 is provided for fixing end portions 30 and 31 in position within cylindrical surfaces 26 and 21 respectively and such fixing means may be a suitable adhesive, a plastic material which solidifies upon curing, a conventional electrical plotting compound, epoxy resin, or the like.

The assembly 13 also has a cable clamp 33 which has an internally threaded portion 34 which is threadedly fastened over the externally, threaded portion 27 of the fitting 24. The clamp 33 also has a clamp bar 35 which is fastened into position by a pair of fasteners such as threaded bolts 36 which secure or clamp the cable 12 firmly into position and prevent movement of cable end portion 11 relative to the clamp 33 and hence the entire connecting device 10.

The device 10 employs an annular ring 37 of roughly inverted T-shaped cross-sectional configuration and made of an elastomeric material and a ring 40 between clamp 33 and fitting 24 of its clamp assembly 13. Upon installing the clamp assembly 13 in position the outer insulating cover of the cable 12 is stripped away from cable portion 11 and is suitably cut and reverse folded to define a flared or bell-shaped portion 42. Portion 42 is folded against one edge of ring 40 and the other edge of such ring is urged against ring 37. The cable portion 11 is thus fastened to assembly 13 by attaching clamp 35 in position and placing reverse flared portion 42 against ring 40. The threaded portion 27 of fitting 24 is then threaded within threaded portion 34 and an inner edge 43 of portion 27 clamps the flared portion 42 tightly against ring 40 to provide a moisture-proof seal between the clamp 33 and the fitting 24. The adhesive means 32 also provides a moisture-proof seal at the opposite ends of shell 15 whereby the entire device and hence the terminal end portion 11 of the cable 12 are fastened into position in a moisture-proof manner.

Other exemplary embodiments of cable connecting devices of this invention are illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing. The devices illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 are similar to the device 10; therefore, such devices will be designated by the reference numerals 10A and 108 respectively and representative parts of each device which are similar to corresponding parts of the device 10 will be designated in the drawing by the same reference numerals as in the device 10 (whether or not such components are mentioned in the specification) followed by an associated letter designation, either A or B, and not described again in detail. Only those component parts of each device which are different from corresponding parts of the device 10 will be designated by new reference numeral also followed by an associated letter designation and described in detail. It should also be emphasized that the previous description of component parts of the device 10 is fully applicable to corresponding parts of the devices 10A and 108.

The only difference between the device 10 and the device 10A of FIG. 2 is that the device 10A has a shell A defined by integral helical convolutions 44A rather than annular convolutions.

The device 108 of FIG. 3 has a shell 15B defined by helical convolutions 45B and each of the convolutions has a roughly rectangular peripheral outline as illustrated at 468. In addition, the device 10B has a braided protective flexible sleeve 47B enclosing its shell 15B and the sleeve 47B may be made of any suitable material and is preferably made of woven metal wire. The braided sleeve 473 has an axial length which corresponds to the length of shell 15B and has opposite end portions 50B and 51B sandwiched between the shell 15B and tubular portions 25B and 208 respectively of members 248 and 14B. The sleeve may also be fixed in position using adhesive means 328.

Although only the device 10 is illustrated in FIG. 4 as being bent at an exemplary angle of roughly 90 it will be appreciated that each of the devices 10A and 108 may also be bent in any desired manner so that the end portion of the electrical cable carried therewithin may be bent in an infinite number of positions to allow easy mating of the respective connectors 14A and 148 with associated electrical connectors. Once bent, each device 10A and 108 will remain in its bent position independently of external means.

The shells 15, 15A and 153 may be made using any suitable manufacturing technique and may be made of any suitable material. These shells have been successfully made of metallic materials such as steel.

While present exemplary embodiments of this invention, and methods of practicing the same, have been illustrated and described it will be recognized that this invention may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical cable connecting device comprising a clamp assembly adapted to attach a terminal end portion of an associated electrical cable which has an outer insulating cover terminating in a reverse folded flared terminal end, said clamp assembly having a pair of cooperating rings which are adapted to clamp said flared terminal end therebetween to provide a moisture-proof seal between said end portion of said cable and said clamp assembly, an electrical connector adapted to be fixed to the terminal end of said end portion, a bendable tubular shell fixed between said assembly and said connector, said shell being adapted to provide a housing for said end portion of said cable and being adapted to allow said end portion to be bent into an infinite number of positions to allow easy mating of said connector with an associated electrical connector, said shell having a plurality of convolutions provided as an integral part thereof and said shell being adapted to hold said terminal end portion in each bent position, said electrical connector having a tubular inner portion and said shell having an outer end portion received concentrically within said tubular inner portion, said clamp assembly comprising a fitting having a tubular portion which receives the inner end portion of said shell therewithin, and means fixing said outer end portion of said shell within said tubular inner portion of said connector and said inner end portion of said shell within said tubular portion of said fitting in a moistureproof manner.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which said integral convolutions are annular convolutions.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which said integral convolutions are helical convolutions.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said convolutions has a roughly rectangular peripheral outline.

5. A device as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising a braided flexible sleeve enclosing said shell and having opposite ends fixed to said connector and as sembly.

6. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which said fitting has a threaded portion, and said clamp assembly further comprises a cable clamp having a cooperating threaded portion adapted to be threadedly fastened to said first-named threaded portion and having a clamp bar supported on its inner end portion which is adapted to clamp said cable firmly thereagainst.

7. A device as set forth in claim 6 and further comprising a braided flexible protective sleeve supported concentrically around said shell and having opposite ends fixed to said connector and assembly.

8. A device as set forth in claim 7 in which said braided sleeve is made of braided metal and said sleeve has each of its end portions sandwiched between an associated one of said tubular portions and said shell.

9. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which said fixing means comprises solidified adhesive means.

10. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which said shell is made of metal.

11. In combination: an electrical cable having an end portion including an outer electrical insulating cover which has a reverse folded flared terminal end, a clamp assembly attached to the inner end of said end portion, said clamp assembly having a pair of cooperating rings which clamp said flared terminal end therebetween to provide a moisture-proof seal between said end portion of said cable and said clamp assembly, an electrical connector fixed to the terminal outer end of said end portion, a bendable tubular shell having a plurality of convolutions provided as an integral part thereof fixed between said assembly and said connector, said shell providing a housing for said end portion of said cable and allowing said end portion to be bent into an infinite 13. A combination as set forth in claim 12 in which said shell is made of metal.

14. A device as set forth in claim 11 and further comprising a braided flexible protective sleeve supported concentrically around said shell and having opposite ends fixed to said connector and assembly. 

1. An electrical cable connecting device comprising a clamp assembly adapted to attach a terminal end portion of an associated electrical cable which has an outer insulating cover terminating in a reverse folded flared terminal end, said clamp assembly having a pair of cooperating rings which are adapted To clamp said flared terminal end therebetween to provide a moisture-proof seal between said end portion of said cable and said clamp assembly, an electrical connector adapted to be fixed to the terminal end of said end portion, a bendable tubular shell fixed between said assembly and said connector, said shell being adapted to provide a housing for said end portion of said cable and being adapted to allow said end portion to be bent into an infinite number of positions to allow easy mating of said connector with an associated electrical connector, said shell having a plurality of convolutions provided as an integral part thereof and said shell being adapted to hold said terminal end portion in each bent position, said electrical connector having a tubular inner portion and said shell having an outer end portion received concentrically within said tubular inner portion, said clamp assembly comprising a fitting having a tubular portion which receives the inner end portion of said shell therewithin, and means fixing said outer end portion of said shell within said tubular inner portion of said connector and said inner end portion of said shell within said tubular portion of said fitting in a moisture-proof manner.
 2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which said integral convolutions are annular convolutions.
 3. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which said integral convolutions are helical convolutions.
 4. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said convolutions has a roughly rectangular peripheral outline.
 5. A device as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising a braided flexible sleeve enclosing said shell and having opposite ends fixed to said connector and assembly.
 6. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which said fitting has a threaded portion, and said clamp assembly further comprises a cable clamp having a cooperating threaded portion adapted to be threadedly fastened to said first-named threaded portion and having a clamp bar supported on its inner end portion which is adapted to clamp said cable firmly thereagainst.
 7. A device as set forth in claim 6 and further comprising a braided flexible protective sleeve supported concentrically around said shell and having opposite ends fixed to said connector and assembly.
 8. A device as set forth in claim 7 in which said braided sleeve is made of braided metal and said sleeve has each of its end portions sandwiched between an associated one of said tubular portions and said shell.
 9. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which said fixing means comprises solidified adhesive means.
 10. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which said shell is made of metal.
 11. In combination: an electrical cable having an end portion including an outer electrical insulating cover which has a reverse folded flared terminal end, a clamp assembly attached to the inner end of said end portion, said clamp assembly having a pair of cooperating rings which clamp said flared terminal end therebetween to provide a moisture-proof seal between said end portion of said cable and said clamp assembly, an electrical connector fixed to the terminal outer end of said end portion, a bendable tubular shell having a plurality of convolutions provided as an integral part thereof fixed between said assembly and said connector, said shell providing a housing for said end portion of said cable and allowing said end portion to be bent into an infinite number of positions to allow easy mating of said connector with an associated electrical connector with said shell holding said end portion in each bent position, and means fixing opposite ends of said shell to said connector and assembly in a moisture-proof manner.
 12. A combination as set forth in claim 11 in which said fixing means comprises solidified adhesive means.
 13. A combination as set forth in claim 12 in which said shell is made of metal.
 14. A device as set forth in claim 11 and further comprising a braided flexible protective sleeve supported concentricaLly around said shell and having opposite ends fixed to said connector and assembly. 